Brussels, 23/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - As of Tuesday 22 March, European citizens will have access to important information on all clinical trials underway within the European Union, via a public register launched by the European Commission, with the aim of making medical research on drugs more transparent for patients. This register is part of the public database on drugs, EudraPharm, a central register of drugs authorised by the EU. “The register launched today is good news for patients as it will allow them to get easier information about clinical trials going on in the EU, possibly giving access to important new treatment”, said Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy John Dalli.
Every year, around 4,000 clinical trials are authorised within the European Union. As the process for most of them takes two or three years, some 10,000 trials are underway at any one time. The clinical trials register gives information on trials carried out by the industry and research institutes, and also includes information on the paediatric use of the drugs being tested. The information is published once the authorisation for these tests has been granted. The day-to-day online management of the register will be the responsibility of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA). The bodies carrying out the clinical trials will be responsible for updating the information via the national competence authority or authorities in the country or countries in which the trials are carried out. (I.L./transl.fl)